The Nunavut Heritage Training Program (NHTP) was a professional development project. The purpose was to provide training for Inuit and non-Inuit Heritage Workers in Nunavut so that they may ensure, through their achievement of professional standards and practices, the adequate preservation and presentation of the cultural materials in their care for public access and enjoyment. The project involved the planning and delivery of a Train-the-Trainer workshop that mentored accomplished heritage workers to take on the training of their fellow emerging colleagues. The second part of the program, the “Institute” provided introductory museum/heritage training geared toward the needs of the Nunavut heritage community.

We delivered eight modules by dividing them up into two alternating Institutes (#1 and #2). The first one was more introductory and occured in Nunavut whereas the second one was more technical and occured in a southern gateway city to Nunavut’s regions.

All participants received a “Basic Heritage Workers’ Certificate of Completion” as a non-credit program for each module they completed through the Nunavut Arctic College.
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Nunavut Heritage Training Institute 2, March 2014 – Completed

The Inuit Heritage Trust offered a training opportunity for heritage workers from Nunavut or Nunavummiut who were intending to work in the heritage sector.

The Nunavut Heritage Training Institute took place in Edmonton from March 3 – 13, 2014. During the 10 day intensive workshop participants met with other heritage workers from Nunavut and learned about best practices in Collections Management, Preventative Conservation, Research and Exhibition Design. The modules were taught by a mix of professionals from Nunavut, IHT consultants and experts from southern Institutions.

Besides theoretical and interactive classroom studies participants joined field trips to other heritage institutions such as the University of Alberta, and various museums with and without Inuit collections. This provided a great platform for connecting with southern heritage workers, discussing various cultural interpretation and heritage management approaches and to learn from each other.

The Nunavut Heritage Training Institute was intended to teach basic essential skills that every heritage worker in Nunavut who is dealing with visitors and/ or collections and archives should have so that he or she can offer sustainable, qualitatively high services to their community and its visitors. It was designed pick up participants at their individual level of experience so that newcomers in the field could take the course alongside long time heritage workers.

Not-for-profit organizations were only asked to only pay a fee of $1000 to cover participation costs of their employees including travel, room, and per diems. All costs exceeding the $1000 were covered by IHT. All other participants were asked to fully cover the participation costs through their employers.

In the years since IHT began the Nunavut Heritage Training Program, we have won national recognition from the Canadian Museums Association (2009, CMA Award for Outstanding Achievement in Management) and have advanced the practice in Nunavut's heritage sector. We have received enthusiastic feedback from participants.

"The content was relevant to every aspect of our heritage centers daily schedule. It was great to finally get templates for many policies and collection management techniques."

"I plan to do something different when I go back. Think about something that is new to the community"

"Bringing individuals from all across Nunavut together to compare and contrast the successes and problems they are having with their various heritage endeavors. By the end I noticed the participants had all made various connections that ensured the development of future relationships."